The best way to eat for running is to eat well all day. We encourage you to try several options to find out what works best for you. 1. Stay Hydrated ALL DAY. Keep drinking all day, but not always with plain water. We recommend mixing up plain water and a low calorie electrolyte mix based on the demands you’re putting on your body. Are you running 10 miles a day, 4 days per week? If you are, it’s ok add in a low calorie option like Skratch Labs Everyday, or Nuun All Day. If you’re running less, be aware that many low calorie electrolyte mixes also add extra sodium to your diet. Feed Recommends: Skratch Daily Hydration, Nuun All Day. 2. How to Snack during the day. Avoid heavy meals that will take hours to digest. You don’t want a brick in your stomach as you’re going out for your run. Choose options that are made with whole food ingredients, and also sit light in your stomach. Picky Bars, Clif Organic Energy Food, and Giddy Up Bars are great options that sit light in your stomach, and require less water for digestion. Feed Recommends: Picky Bars, Clif Organic Energy Food, and Giddy Up Bars. 3. Getting charged up pre-workout. Going into your run you want to be well fueled, but not full. If you are working out early in the morning or after work, there are some great pre-workout drinks that will give you a quick boost. Our favorites are the Vega Pre-Workout Energizer, which uses green tea and yerba mate to invigorate your body and prep it for exercise. Keep in mind that it’s best to test these products to see if they work well for you, and they may not work well for runs that are more than 60 minutes. Feed Recommends: Vega Pre-Workout Energizer, Bonk Breaker Bites. 4. During your run. We believe that if you need calories during a run, it’s better get them from your bottle as opposed to solid food. Why? When you eat you need to drink extra fluid for digestion. If you are simultaneously getting calories into your system while hydrating it is a win win. Even if the additional calories in your drink mix prevent perfect absorbtion of those calories, it will be more effective than trying to digest solid food + water during a run. Our favorite hydration for during your run is Skratch Labs Exercise Mix. It’s natural flavor is very easy to drink during exercise, and it doesn’t have a TON of calories that will sit in your stomach. If you are out for more than 60 minutes think about carrying Chews and Gels for a quick boost mid-run. We love Honey Stinger Organic Gels that can easily slip into your waist band. Also, Clif Blocks are great for taking on a run. Feed Recommends: Skratch Labs Exercise, , Clif Blocks, ProBar Bolt Chews 5. After your workout. When you’ve run longer and harder than normal, we recommend that you get a recovery mix into your system as soon as possible. This is most important in the 30-45 minutes following exercise. During this window, your body is primed for carbohydrate absorption Recovery mixes use carbohydrates, essential amino acids, electrolytes and other nutrients to replenish glycogen quickly and reduce inflammation. We love single servings so that we have a grab and go recovery option around at all times. Feed Recommends: Fluid Recovery, Vega Recovery Accelerator.
